1"Behold, I will send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, Whom you seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in Whom you delight. Behold, He comes," says the LORD of hosts. 2"But who can endure the day of His coming? And who shall stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap. 3And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver. And He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. 4Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem shall be pleasing to the LORD, as in the days of old and as in former years.

5And I will come near to you for judgment. And I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against those who swear falsely, and against those who extort from the hired laborer's wages--and against those who turn away the widow, the orphan, and the stranger because they did not fear Me," says the LORD of hosts,

6"For I am the LORD, I change not. Therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed.

7From the days of your fathers, you have gone away from My statutes, and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you," says the LORD of hosts."But you say. 'In what way shall we return?'

8Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me. But you say, 'How have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings! 9You are cursed with a curse; for you are robbing Me, even this whole nation. 10Bring all the tithes into the treasure house, so that there may be food in My house. And prove Me now with this," says the LORD of hosts, "to see if I will not surely open the windows of heaven for you, and pour out a blessing for you, until there is not enough room to receive it. 11And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and it shall not destroy the fruit of your ground; nor shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field," says the LORD of hosts. 12"And all nations shall call you blessed; for you shall be a delightful land," says the LORD of hosts.

13"Your words have been all too strong against Me," says the LORD."Yet you say, 'What have we spoken so strongly against You?' 14You have said, 'It is vain to serve God; and, what profit is it that we have kept His charge, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts? 15And now we are calling the arrogant blessed. Yea, they that work wickedness are built up, they even tempt God, and are delivered. ' "

16Then those fearing the LORD spoke together, each man to his neighbor. And the LORD listened and heard. And a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who feared the LORD, and for those who thought upon His name. 17"And they shall be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "in the day that I will make up My own special jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him." 18Then you shall return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God, and the one who does not serve Him.